


Simple Man

by orphan_account



Category: Lab Rats: Elite Force (TV), Mighty Med
Genre: Comforting Kaz, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Guitars, Hurt Oliver, Kaz Plays Guitar, Kaz and Oliver are Best Friends, Music, Oliver Plays Guitar, Simple Man, Singing, Singing Kaz, Singing Oliver, Wagon Wheel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 18:16:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10859421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Be a simple kind of man, be something you'll love and understand. Oh, baby, be a simple kind of man. Won't you do this for me, son, if you can?" Oliver bit his lip, tears stinging his eyes at the thought of his own mother.A knee nudged his own, and Oliver blinked up to see Kaz smiling softly at him. "Boy, don't you worry about yourself. Follow your heart, and nothing else. And you can do this, oh baby, if you try. All I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied."Or, Oliver's feeling a little down, and Kaz knows exactly how to cheer him up.





	Simple Man

“Feel like pickin’ a little, Oliver?” The bronze haired teen glanced upward, away from his book, with confusion in his oceanic blue eyes to find his best friend smiling lightly down at him, his own chocolate orbs glittering as he held up two guitars, one in each hand, by the necks. Oliver Todd could barely contain his smile as Kaz Clark sat down on the penthouse sofa next to him and handed him one of the acoustics, keeping the dark emerald Gibson for himself and handing Oliver his bright blue Yamaha. “You remember the last time we did this?” Kaz hummed, picking a little at the strings and tuning it just slightly as Oliver did the same.

“Been forever ago.” Oliver agreed softly back. “Back before the whole mess with the Arcturion, at the very least.” Kaz nodded in agreement, tugging off his necklace, a simple silver chain with a bright green guitar pick hanging off it, and began strumming. Oliver followed his example, picking at the strings in time with Kaz’s strums. It wasn’t long before Kaz’s low baritone voice joined in with the tune of the two guitars.

“ _Mama told me, when I was young._

_Said ‘Sit beside me, my only son._

_And listen closely to what I say._

_If you do this, it’ll help you some sunny day.’_ ”

Oliver couldn’t help but smile brightly at his best friend as the rest of the world faded to nothing around them, peeling away and leaving just them, their guitars, and the music coming from them. Nothing else mattered in that moment besides the right notes hitting the right marks. There were no shapeshifters, no superpowers or bionics, no heroes or villains. It was just Kaz, Oliver, and Simple Man. And it was _incredible_. 

“ _’Oh, take your time, don’t live too fast._

_Troubles will come, and they will pass._

_You’ll find a woman, and you’ll find love._

_But don’t forget, there is someone up above._ ’”

Oliver allowed his own voice to join and mix in with Kaz’s. He wasn’t particularly talented in vocals, and while he wasn’t completely terrible, Oliver knew for a fact that out of the two of them, Kaz had the better voice. Kaz, however, did not admonish or stop him, instead smiling at his best friend with a glimmer in his chocolate eyes. Oliver closed his eyes, allowing the peace from the moment to fill him, relax him like he hadn’t been able to since having the dream of the Arcturion all those months ago.

“ _’And be a simple kind of man._

_Be something you’ll love and understand._

_Oh, baby, be a simple kind of man._

_Won’t you do this for me son, if you can?’_ ”

Oliver bit his lip when the first chorus was over, tears stinging his eyes at the thought of his own mother. The mother that had chosen power over him. Oliver shook his head and chased those thoughts away. He’d been so at peace a moment ago, for the first time in a long time, and he wasn’t going to let it go that easily.

“ _’Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold._

_All that you need is in your soul._

_And you can do this, oh baby, if you try._

_All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied._

_And be a simple kind of man._

_Oh, be something you’ll love and understand._

_Baby, be a simple kind of man._

_Oh, won’t you do this for me son, if you can?’”_

Oliver felt the muscles in his shoulders relax as the tune carried on around him. He kept his eyes closed, focusing on that, keeping his dark thoughts on his maternal family away. He jumped, a little startled, when a knee bumped his own, and he blinked open his eyes to find Kaz smiling softly at him. Oliver’s heart swelled with love and affection for his best friend as Kaz sang the lyrics to the third verse directly at him, chasing the darkness away.

“ _’Boy, don’t you worry, you’ll find yourself._

_Follow your heart, and nothing else._

_And you can do this, oh baby, if you try._

_All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied._ ’”

Kaz winked at the teary smile that Oliver sent him, and didn’t comment on the small crack in his best friend’s voice, just kept singing and picking like it was any other time. Because if Kaz knew anything, he knew Oliver, and knew that Oliver didn’t need a huge support speech or a _‘it’ll be okay if we give it time, we’ll figure it out’_ talk. Oliver just needed _this_ , and Kaz was more than happy to give it to him.

“ _’And be a simple kind of man._

_Oh, be something you’ll love and understand._

_And baby, be a simple kind of man._

_Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can?’_ ”

Kaz readily opened his arms in time for Oliver to jump into them, barely mindful of the guitars in their laps in favor of burrowing his face into Kaz’s shoulder. The black-haired teen just rubbed his back soothingly and hummed wordlessly the tune under his breath, his lips right next to Oliver’s ear. “Thank you.” Oliver whispered.

Kaz squeezed him gently before releasing him, giving him a tiny grin in response. Oliver smiled, the sparkle returning to his blue eyes, and he laughed when Kaz picked a faster tune to his guitar, his best friend not hesitating to follow along.

“ _Headed down South to the land of the pines,_

_Thumbin’ my way into North Caroline,_

_Starin’ at the road, and pray to God I see headlights…”_

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously, go find Simple Man being sung by Jensen Ackles. SERIOUSLY, GO NOW!!!!


End file.
